Dead Letter Office

Dead Letter Office is a rarities and B-sides collection by R.E.M., released in April 1987. The album is essentially a collection of many additional recordings R.E.M. made from before Murmur to Lifes Rich Pageant that were outtakes or released as B-sides to their singles internationally. Many of the tracks are favorite cover versions indicating the band’s disparate influences and musical tastes, including three Velvet Underground covers, and songs by Aerosmith (“Toys in the Attic”), Roger Miller (“King of the Road”), and fellow Athenians Pylon (“Crazy”). Guitarist Peter Buck composed wry, self-deprecating (and, in one instance, apologetic) liner notes to the songs on the album. Buck initially had doubts about releasing it, saying he felt as though people would perceive the album as the band “trying to cash in, maybe to sell some records”, as the ultimate release date predated that of the band’s final studio album with I.R.S., Document, by a mere four months. The album was initially issued as a 15-song collection on vinyl and cassette, but when its CD edition appeared the five tracks from the band’s 1982 Chronic Town EP were added. This was the only CD availability of Chronic Town until the release of The Originals box set.

Tracklisting

Position Title Duration
Post Side
A1 Crazy
A2 There She Goes Again
A3 Burning Down
A4 Voice Of Harold
A5 Burning Hell
A6 White Tornado
A7 Toys In The Attic
Script Side
B1 Windout
B2 Ages Of You
B3 Pale Blue Eyes
B4 Rotary Ten
B5 Bandwagon
B6 Femme Fatale
B7 Walters Theme
B8 King Of The Road

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Release Images

Release Information

Key Value
Wikipedia URL https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Letter_Office_(album)
Format Vinyl LP Compilation Reissue (180 Gram)
Label I.R.S. Records
Catalog Number 00602547899835
Notes Includes voucher to download MP3 version of the album.

℗ 1987 © 2016 International Record Syndicate, Inc., a division of UMG Recordings, Inc. Made in the EU.
Discogs URL REM - Dead Letter Office